1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to textile sleeves for protecting elongate members, and more particularly to thermally protective woven tubular sleeves.
2. Related Art
It is known to contain elongate members, such as wires, wire harnesses, cables and conduits of various types, in both tubular braided and woven textile sleeves having a reflective foil outer layer bonded thereto, such as in automobiles, aircraft and aerospace craft, to provide protection to the elongate members against abrasion, fluid and thermal affects. However, problems with the known protective sleeves have proven difficult to overcome; namely, the braided sleeves are typically loose and take on a flat profile, while the protective woven sleeves typically have a very tight weave structure to prevent the woven yarns from shifting relative to one another, and thus, the woven sleeves are generally very stiff. Both conditions present potential problems in use. With the braided sleeves, the sleeves are difficult to install as a result of being generally flat, and also have problems with the outer foil layer becoming cracked in shipment due to the relatively flimsy, flattened structure of the braided wall. Similarly, the woven sleeves can be difficult to install over meandering wires/conduit as a result of being so stiff and inflexible, which also can result in unwanted kinking of the sleeve when routed around corners. Both types of sleeves are further known to have problems with end fray, particularly upon being cold cut to length, which results when the yarns fall out the open ends of the sleeves.
Accordingly, what is needed is a sleeve that provides a balance between maintaining a round, tubular form to facilitate installation over elongate members and to prevent cracking of an outer foil layer, such as during shipment, while at the same time being flexible enough to allow the sleeve to be readily installed over meandering paths while also prevent kinking when routed about corners, and further, resists end fray upon being cold cut to length and while in use.